Drapery hook



y 7, 1955 F. s. NICHOLS 2,708,479

DRAPERY HOOK Filed March 1, 1954 United States Patent DRAPERY HOOK Frederick S. Nichols, Melrose, Mass., assignor to L. R. Moulton Co., Inc., Melrose, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 1, 1954, Serial No. 413,261

Claims. (Cl. 160-348) The present invention relates to a drapery hook for hanging draperies having stitched pleats to drapery rods, and more particularly to a drapery hook for hanging draperies which have a folded-over border or hem at the top edge, which border or hem is stitched down at intervals by an up-and-down stitching which forms a pleat, such stitching extending from the top of the drapery downwardly to the end of the hem and leaving the hem open at its bottom between lines of stitches.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a drapery hook which is adapted to be firmly clamped to the line of stitching forming the pleat along a substantial portion of the length of such stitching so as to form a rigid nonslipping support for the top portion of the drapery along a substantial portion of the length of each pleat and hence prevent the face of the drapery from falling or pulling forward from the hook.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a drapery hook which will permit the drapery to hang smoothly with no unsightly wrinkling of the top portion thereof.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide such a drapery hook which is adjustable or variable so as to control the length and evenness of the drapery and which is also adjustable and variable so as to be adapted to be used with varying hem widths.

These objects are attained by the drapery hook of the present invention which is made up of two parts, a hanging and a clamping pin. The hanging pin comprises a resilient pin having means for being attached to the hemmed edge of the drapery at the stitching of each pleat so that a leg thereof is positioned along the back of the stitching, such leg having means for attaching the hanging pin to a drapery rod and a clamping and clamp locking means at an end thereof, at least a portion of which clamping and clamp locking means protrudes below the hem line of the hem when the hanging pin is attached to the hemmed edge by the above mentioned attaching means. The clamping pin comprises a resilient member having two co-extending legs, the free ends of which are biased toward each other and are adapted to be inserted beneath the hem of the drapery, one leg on either side of the stitching. The resilient member also has a clamping and clamp locking means at the lower portion thereof which protrudes below the hem line of the hem when the legs are inserted beneath the hem as described above, and is adapted to cooperate with the protruding clamping and clamp locking means of the hanging pin, to clamp and lock the drapery firmly between the hanging pin and clamping pin along the stitching.

One embodiment of the drapery hook of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings hereof and is described below. It is to be understood that the embodiment shown in the drawing hereof and described herein is merely illustrative of the present invention and it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto.

Fig. l is a plan view of an unassembled hanging pin and clamping pin of one embodiment of the drapery hook of the present invention in position for assembly and attachment to a drapery.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of'the drapery hook of Fig. 1 as sembled and attached to the drapery.

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the drapery hook of Figs. 1 to 3 attached to the drapery in a different manner than that shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the clamping section of the hanging pin of the present invention in clamping position with the clamping section of the clamping pm.

With reference to Figs. 1 to 4, hanging pin 1 comprises a U-shaped wire or rod having a short leg 4 and a long leg 5. Short leg 4 has a pointed, sharpened end 6. The lower end of long leg 5 along the lower portion of its length is provided with undulations of serrations 8 forming rearwardly and forwardly of leg 8, valleys 9 and raised portions 40. Hook 7, which comprises a wire or rod bent in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is spot welded to long leg 5 at a point intermediate its ends, just above the last serration or undulation 8 of long leg 5, as shown in the drawings. The lowermost end of leg 5 below the last serration is looped upwardly at 50.

Clamping pin 2 comprises a U-shaped resilient stiff wire or rod, preferably of metal, having two co-extend-' ing legs 10 and 11 of equal length, which abut and press against each other at their top sections 3 and are spaced slightly apart at their lower ends 15 where the U is formed. Each of the legs after abutting against each other at 3 extend into loop ends 12 and 13 respectively. The lower ends 15 of the legs, where the U is formed, are bent at 16 transversely to the common plane in which legs 10 and 11 lie to form bent portion 16a. The resilience of the still? metal of clamping pin 2 and the particular manner in which such wire is bent to form the clamping pin provides a spring pressure which causes the ends of legs 10 and 11 to be normally biased and tensioned toward, and hence pressed firmly against, each other at section 3 thereof. However, the legs 10 and 11 may be separated at section 3 thereof by pulling them apart against the force of such spring pressure. The drapery comprises the drapery proper or drapery face 20, having a backwardly folded hem 21 along the top edge 41 thereof. The top hemmed portion of the drapery has stitched tucks or pleats 22 spaced therealong, the stitching thereof 23 running through the material of drapery proper or drapery facing 20 and hem 21 in an up-anddown direction and throughout the width of hem 21.

In assembling and attaching the hanging pin 1 to the drapery 3 the hanging pin is positioned above a pleat 22 of the drapery with leg 4 aligned with the open top 24 of pleat 22, as shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter short leg 4 is inserted into the open top 24 of pleat 22, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to run along the front of stitching 23 and so that long leg 5 is positioned along the rear of stitching 23 with rod hook 7 extending rearwardly and the lowermost serrations 8 protruding along the back of drapery proper 20 below the hem line 25 of hem 21, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Next, U-shaped clamping pin 2 is held in a position with relation to the drapery as shown in Fig. l and thereafter legs 10 and 11 thereof are inserted underneath the open hem 21, one leg on either side of stitching 23 with the bottom bent portion 16a of the U-shaped pin protruding below hem line 25 of hem 21 and backwardly toward the protruding end of hanging pin 1, such bent portion 16a being slipped over the lowermost end of hanging pin 1 as the legs 10 and 11 are inserted underneath open hem 21 and thereafter moved inwardly into one of the valleys 9 of serrations 8 at the back of said hanging pin, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thereafter, the top hemmed portions of the drapery on either side of stitching 23 are simultaneous- 1y pulled in a direction away from the stitching, thereby pulling the top portion of the drapery proper 20 and hem 21 tautly together, which forces legs and 11 of clamping pin 2 toward hanging pin 1, whereby bent portion a of clamping pin 2 is pressed firmly into valley 9, as shown, and the drapery is firmly clamped between hanging pin 1 and clamping pin 2 along a substantial portion of the length of stitching 23. Clamping pin 2 is locked firmly against vertical movement in relation to hanging pin 1, hence the drapery. hook is locked into drapery clamping position. The harder that the hemmed top portions of the drapery are simultaneously pulled on either side of the stitching, the more tightly the drapery is clamped and locked between the hanging pin 1 and the clamping pin 2. Hanging pin 1, wh n so clamped to the drapery, forms a rigid, non-slipping support for the top portion of the drapery along a substantial portion of the length of the stitching and pleat and hence prevents the face of the drapery from falling or pulling forward from the hook. Furthermore, since the drapery hook is firmly clamped to a substantial portion of the length of the pleated stitching, the drapery hangs smoothly with no unsightly wrinkling of the top portion thereof.

It is obvious that when the legs 10 and 11 of pin 2 are inserted under hem 21, one leg on each side of the stitching 23, the stitching is forced between sections 3 of. said legs 10 and 11 against the force of the spring pressure of legs 10 and 11, which causes the stitching to be pressed therebetween.

If the drapery is uneven, and rests too low at any particular point, and it is desired to raise the drapery at such point, instead of inserting legs 4 into the top open ends 24 of the particular pleats closest to the vertical extension of that point on the drapery, the pointed ends i thereof may be inserted into and through the rear of stitchings 23 of such particular pleats, as shown in Fig. 4, a distance downwardly from the upper ends of such stitchings which will raise the drapery the desired amount at that particular point. The drapery will be raised at that point a distance substantially equal to the distances from the upper ends of stitchings 23 at which short legs 4 are inserted. Except for short legs 4 being inserted into the rear of stitchings 23, as shown in Fig. 4, rather than into the open end of the pleat as in Figs. 2 and 3 and except for bent portion 16a of pin 2 lying in a higher serration 8, as shown in Fig. 4, the parts of the drapery hook are arranged in the same manner described above with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

If the length of the entire drapery is desired to be raised, all the short legs 4 of all the drapery hooks may be inserted into the rear of stitching 23 of all the pleats as shown in Fig. 4, the drapery being raised that distance between the upper ends of the stitchings and the point at the stitchings Where short legs 4 of the drapery hooks are inserted. In this manner the length of the individual drapery can be controlled and at the same time, the drapery is firmly clamped to the drapery hook as described above. The plurality of serrations 3 running along a substantial'part of the hanging pin 1 not only aids in adjusting the length and evenness of the drapery but also permits the use of the drapery hook of the present invention, with various hem widths.

' It will be appreciated that the looped ends 12 and 13 of clamping pin 2 and the particular shape of the lowermost end of leg 5 below the last serration shown in the drawings as a loop 50 are not critical to the present invention and that the upper ends of clamping pin 2 and the lower end of hanging pin 1 may be any shape desired.

It will also be appreciated that any clamping and clamp locking means for locking clamping pin 2 to hanging pin 1 in a drapery clamping position may be utilized at the lower end portion of the hanging pin 1 rather than the serrations shown, so long as such means pin 2 may be passed and, then, when brought inwardly into contact with'the hanging pin, be locked against downward movement with relation to the hanging pin 1 by abutting against the top of the nut 31. By varying the vertical position of the nut 31 on the threaded lower portion 30 of hanging pin 1, the height on hanging pin 1 at which clamping pin 2 is locked into clamping position therewith can be adjusted.

In fact, any cooperating clamping and clamp locking means on hanging pin 1 and clamping pin 2 for locking the two pins into drapery clamping position may be 'utilized and comes within the scope of the present in vention. In other words, the present invention includes a hanging pin with any clamping and clamp locking means for locking such pin into clamping position with clamping pin 2 and a clamping pin 2 having any clamping and clamp locking means for cooperating with the clamp locking means of hanging pin 1 to lock the two pins into clamping position.

Furthermore, the short leg 4 may be dispensed with and the top part of leg 5 may be provided with a sharp point which can be inserted upwardly into the rear of the stitching 23. Otherwise the parts of the drapery book are arranged in the same manner as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Although, strictly speaking, such a pin does not have two separate and distinct legs, the term a resilient pin having two legs as set forth in the claims hereof is intended to include such a pin. Also, instead of a downwardly extending short leg 4 having a sharpened end, it may be upwardly extending. In such case, the short leg would be attached to the long leg 5 of hanging pin 1 much like book 7 is attached thereto except that it has a pointed sharpened end which is bent upwardly instead of downwardly, and is on the side of pin 1 opposite from which hook 7 is attached. In such case, the sharpened end of leg 4 is inserted upwardly into the rear portion of stitching 23, but otherwise the parts of the drapery hook are arranged in the same manner as shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposes of illustration only and this invention includes all modifications and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims. a

I claim: T

l. A drapery hook for hanging draperies havinga stitched pleat along a hemmed edge thereof comprising, a hanging pin and a clamping pin; said hanging pin comprising a resilient pin having two legs, one leg of which is adapted to be attached to said drapery by insertion into the open end of said ple'at or into the stitching thereof, so that the other leg of said hanging pin is positioned along the back of said stitching, said other leg having means in: termediate its ends for hooking said hanging pin over a drapery rod and a clamping andclamp locking section, at least one portion of which protrudes below the hem line of said hem when said one leg is inserted in said open end of said pleat, as well. as when said one leg is inserted into the stitching of saidpleat; said clamping pin compris ing a resilient member having two coextensive legs, the free ends of which are biased toward each other, and a clamping and clamp locking section at the lower portion thereof, for cooperating with said clamping and clamp locking section of said hanging pin, to clamp and lock said drapery between said hanging pin and said clamping pin, said legs of said clamping pin being adapted to be inserted underneath the hem of said drapery, one leg on either side of said stitching, with the clamping and clamp locking section of said clamping pin protruding below the hem line of said hem for cooperation with said protruding portion of said clamping and clamp locking section of said hanging pin to clamp and lock said drapery firmly between said hanging pin and clamping pin in such a manner that when said hemmed edge is pulled simultaneously on either side of said stitching in a direction away from said stitching the clamping and clamp locking means of said locking pin cooperates with the clamping and clamp locking means of said locking pin to clamp and lock said drapery even more firmly between said clamping pin and said hanging pm.

2. A drapery hook for hanging draperies having a stitched pleat along a hemmed edge thereof; comprising a hanging pin and a clamping pin; said hanging pin com prising a resilient U-shaped pin, one leg of which is adapted to be attached to said drapery by insertion into the open end of said pleat or into the stitching of said pleat so that the other leg of said pin is positioned along the back of said stitching, said other leg having means intermediate its ends for hooking said hanging pin over a drapery rod and a clamping and clamp locking end section, at least the lowermost portion of said clamping and clamp locking end section protruding below the hem line of said hem when said one leg has been inserted into said open end of said pleat or into said stitching of said pleat; said clamping pin comprising a resilient U-shaped member, the free ends of which are biased toward each other and the U-portion of which is provided with a clamping and clamp locking means for cooperating with said clamping and clamp locking end section of said hanging pin, to clamp and lock said drapery between said hanging pin and said clamping pin, the free ends of said clamping pin being adapted to be inserted underneath the hem of said drapery, one leg on either side of said stitching, the clamping and clamp locking means of said clamping pin protruding below the hem line of said hem for cooperation with said protruding clamping and clamp locking end section of said hanging pin, to clamp and lock said drapery between said hanging and clamping pin in such a manner that when said hemmed edge is simultaneously pulled on either side of said stitching, said clamping and clamp locking means of said clamping pin cooperates with said clamping and clamp locking end section of said hanging pin to further clamp and lock said drapery even more firmly between said clamping pin and said hanging pin.

3. The drapery hook of claim 2, wherein said clamping and clamp locking end section of said hanging pin comprises a plurality of serrations and said clamping and clamp locking means on said clamping pin comprises a bend in the U-portion of said clamping pin in a direction transverse to the common plane in which the legs of said clamping pin lie.

4. A drapery hook for hanging draperies having a stitched pleat along a hemmed edge thereof comprising; a hanging pin and a clamping pin; said hanging pin comprising a resilient pin having means for being attached to said hemmed edge at the stitching of said pleat so that a eg thereof is positioned along the back of said stitching, said leg having means for attaching said hanging pin to a drapery rod and a clamping and clamp locking means at an end thereof, at least a portion of which clamping and clamp locking means protrudes below the hem line of said hem when said hanging pin is attached to said hemmed edge by said attaching means; said clamping pin comprising a resilient member having two co-extending legs, the free ends of which are biased toward each other and are adapted to be inserted underneath the hem of said drapery, one leg on either side of said stitching, said resilient member also having a clamping and clamp locking means at the lower portion thereof which protrudes below the hem line of said hem when said legs are inserted beneath said hem and is adapted to cooperate with said protruding clamping and clamp locking means of said hanging pin, to clamp and lock said draperies firmly between said hanging pin and clamping pin along said stitching.

5. A drapery hook comprising in combination a hanging pin and a clamping pin; said hanging pin comprising a resilient U-shaped pin, one leg of which has a hooked portion attached thereto, the free end portion of said one leg having a plurality of serrations therein; said clamping pin comprising a resilient U-shaped member, the free legs of which are biased toward each other and the U-portion of which is provided with an outwardly bent section adapted to be slipped over the serrated end of said hanging pin and thence into any of the valleys of said serrations to prevent vertical movement of said clamping pin with relation to said hanging pin, whereby material can be clamped and locked between said hanging pin and said clamping pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,592,478 Sherman Apr. 8, 1952 

